"Are you coming or going?"

One thing that I always dread about the holiday season is the whole parking situation at stores. And the situation is that there isn't much of it. So you'll be walking back to your car, haven't even stowed your bags yet and some vulture is already sitting in the aisle, turn signal blinking, just waiting for you to vacate the spot. It'd be one with if I were in the car, engine running, and just a second or two away from pulling out...but I've had people actually follow me to my car in hopes of getting my spot. It seems rude to me because now the person you're waiting for feels rushed, while the vulture blocks the aisle while they wait.

What prompted this rant was today as I was leaving a store. I was on the bike, so I had to grab my gloves from my bags and put on my helmet and other gear before mounting up. As I'm opening my saddlebag, a car pulls up and the driver asks the old, "You coming or going?" I told him that I was going but that it would be a while. He said that was fine and to take my time. Meanwhile, he just sits there and starts to clog up the flow of traffic also trying to get into the parking lot. I finally said, internally, "Screw this" and walked my bike out of the spot, still without having put on the majority of my gear, just so this guy could take his precious spot and clear the road. He thanked me and said he didn't expect me to do that...and I really wanted to tell him that I didn't do it for him, but I bet my tongue and just said, "No worries."

Is it just me, or is that A. a rude thing to do to the person still occupying the spot and is not even close to being ready to go and B. rude to the other people trying to find a spot? I for one would circle the lot a few times before I would sit and wait while someone loads all of their purchases into their car, gets in, puts on their seat belt/starts the car, etc. It just seems awfully rude and self important to me.

This seems like a strange thing to have a rant about. People drive to shops, sometimes there are more people needing to park than actual spaces so ergo, this situation will arise in a period when customers supposedly need more stuff.

It's not so much that people wait for spots, it's when they begin to wait so prematurely that the person they're attempting to replace is still a good 4-5 minutes away from becoming mobile and subsequently block traffic behind them as well.

In this particular lot, the cars queuing up behind the guy eventually ended up having to swing around him in the oncoming side of the aisle, but it wasn't happening in a very orderly or consistent manner.

I was physically shopping because my wife had seen an item the previous day that she liked but didn't buy since we were shopping for others, so I wanted to grab it while she was at work. Otherwise, yeah, I like to do my Christmas shopping primarily online. We don't really have too much of an online grocery delivery service besides maybe one or two supermarkets and is not too widely used.

If the lot is crowded, or at a peak time, it's unsurprising someone might wait for a spot that's going to become available. Especially so, if it is somewhat close to the entrance someone wants to go to.

If the lot is crowded, or at a peak time, it's unsurprising someone might wait for a spot that's going to become available. Especially so, if it is somewhat close to the entrance someone wants to go to.

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This spot wasn't particularly close to the entrance at all. The issue is not so much the waiting, but the choice to wait for someone who isn't even close to leaving yet.

I'm really struggling to see your point of view on this. It strikes me that you did what you needed to do and screw anyone else.

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Screw anyone else? I walked my bike out of the spot and then put on my gear so the guy could get out of the aisle and take the spot. I could have sat there, taking my sweet time putting on my gear but I didn't. I stopped what I was doing, hung my helmet on my bars, walked the bike back and clear of the spot, and then continued to gear up once I was in a safe spot. Where was I screwing anyone else?

I'm really struggling to see your point of view on this. It strikes me that you did what you needed to do and screw anyone else.

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Screw anyone else? I walked my bike out of the spot and then put on my gear so the guy could get out of the aisle and take the spot. I could have sat there, taking my sweet time putting on my gear but I didn't. I stopped what I was doing, hung my helmet on my bars, walked the bike back and clear of the spot, and then continued to gear up once I was in a safe spot. Where was I screwing anyone else?

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It's more your mentality and the fact you've ranted on here.

Shops get busy around this time and sometimes, there are more people needing spaces than actual spaces. So people will wait for a parking space to open up, it's part of the whole shopping experience around the festive period because people just really need new stuff around this time of year.

I ranted because I find it rude that I now have to rush to get ready to go, or in the past have had to rush to stow my purchases all because someone has laid claim to my spot before I've even gotten in the damn car. Would you do that for a table at a restaurant? Perhaps I shouldn't ask, because I once had someone do that exact thing to us once, in the very same manner as this guy waited for the parking spot.

I once had it happen when I was going out to my car simply to place my jacket inside, as it had gotten too warm to wear and too cumbersome to carry while shopping. The guy asked if I was coming or going, as well, and I replied with, "Staying, actually. Sorry." and walked away. He gave me a dirty look and sped off.

And? Sorry I still don't see your issue. Are American car parks so ill designed that they're aren't wide enough to allow two cars to pass?

There really is no issue here.

If you feel so strongly about this, why even physically go shopping? Most supermarkets here do a home delivery service after ordering online and you can buy most other things online aswell.

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Many parking lots in the U.S. aren't designed very well at all, and the smaller the market or shop, the more poorly designed the parking spaces.

I do understand that it gets annoying when you're still putting away your groceries or bags in your trunk, and there's a guy sitting 3 feet away in his car, with his signal on, just waiting to get into your space, and he's so close you either can't maneuver to get out, or that car has sat there so long (through no fault of your own), that it's letting the whole section become congested, and now no one can get out until that car moves.

The polite thing to do, if you're looking for a space in which to park, is usually to wait a few seconds, and if it doesn't look like the car is leaving anytime soon, to go around and come back. That gives the car a chance to leave, and keeps traffic flowing.

Flux you seem unnecessarily stressed over a very common occurrence. Don't worry if the guy is being rude, just wave to him and say "I'll be going in a minute, just getting ready! Happy Holidays!" And then when you do go give him a big waving him on in wave to the parking space.

And? Sorry I still don't see your issue. Are American car parks so ill designed that they're aren't wide enough to allow two cars to pass?

There really is no issue here.

If you feel so strongly about this, why even physically go shopping? Most supermarkets here do a home delivery service after ordering online and you can buy most other things online aswell.

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Many parking lots in the U.S. aren't designed very well at all, and the smaller the market or shop, the more poorly designed the parking spaces.

I do understand that it gets annoying when you're still putting away your groceries or bags in your trunk, and there's a guy sitting 3 feet away in his car, with his signal on, just waiting to get into your space, and he's so close you either can't maneuver to get out, or that car has sat there so long (through no fault of your own), that it's letting the whole section become congested, and now no one can get out until that car moves.

The polite thing to do, if you're looking for a space in which to park, is usually to wait a few seconds, and if it doesn't look like the car is leaving anytime soon, to go around and come back. That gives the car a chance to leave, and keeps traffic flowing.

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Exactly. I have had people get so close while waiting that they then have to back up in order to let me out, or they're blocking my path of travel once I have backed out.

Also, to clear up any details about this particular situation, here's a map of the lot and where I was in relation to the guy and the entrance to the store.

When I read threads like this it I am pleased that I am a non-driver. I find catching buses relaxing and economical and I don't have to worry about parking.

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I like driving, but I'd give it up in a heartbeat if there were a reliable mass transit system in our town. Of course, it would have to run at all hours, which is why I'll likely never have the chance.

Flux you seem unnecessarily stressed over a very common occurrence. Don't worry if the guy is being rude, just wave to him and say "I'll be going in a minute, just getting ready! Happy Holidays!" And then when you do go give him a big waving him on in wave to the parking space.

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As traffic piles up behind him and now I'm the jerk who is taking his sweet time getting ready? No thanks. I'd rather be the martyr and let it be obvious who the jackass was in this situation holding everyone up.